I've got a 3 year old GSD and we're needing her to be more of an outside dog with a large dog run.  We want to get her a friend to play with and keep entertained when we're not around.  What are some good choices for companion dogs?

Have 2 Sheppards, both house dogs.

Both prefer to be indoors. And that generally makes sure they are the only ones inside when I'm gone.

My last one and current one both love being outside......however if I am inside that is where he wants to be.  I am willing to bet the same goes for yours too.  GSD's are attached to their owners and want to be with them.  

That said, my last one got along awesome with my Springer Spaniel, they would play for hours with the Spaniel playing the aggressor and the Shepherd the much more powerful but benevolent play buddy.  However, the Shepherd was trained to stay on our property and never left until we got the Spaniel, who was a runner on a couple rare occasions.  Then the Shepherd would follow him.  

My current dog met my buddies 8 month old Irish Setter puppy yesterday and they got along great too.  Puppy initiates play, they spar for awhile, then Shepherd smooshes him on the ground with one paw, then they start the cycle over again, finally puppy tries to dominate Shepherd so he frigging dry humped him which really got puppy mad. So puppy starts really getting worked up and trying to bite for real........which has no effect and Shepherd finally gives a warning bark.  We seperated them, made them lie down, they sniffed each other for awhile.  After a couple rounds of this, they settled down and got along fine.

Quoted: Have 2 Sheppards, both house dogs. Both prefer to be indoors. And that generally makes sure they are the only ones inside when I'm gone.

+1, Two GSD's and I want them inside just as much as they want to be inside.

1 German Shepard, Always with me at home and loves riding in trucks.

Two GSD's also! They stay outside year around. BTW Motor 05, nice looking animals!

2 gsd they go in and out as they please.

Quoted: Have 2 Sheppards, both house dogs. Both prefer to be indoors. And that generally makes sure they are the only ones inside when I'm gone.

My situation exactly, 1 male 1 female.  They're best buddies and keep each other entertained while we're out.   Both love to take baths too and get em once a week.


This is Shep, he's about 8 years old and mixed with lab.  Very friendly and follows me like a shadow, my best bud.

i had a female GS for 14 years,bitch wouldn't play with dogs.she always wanted to fight them,maybe she was just trying to be too protective.

We have a Shepard.  Its best friends are other shepards.  Likes to get loose and run around with little kids and the GS around the corner.  

A couple 4 year olds dognapped our 70 lb shepard a week ago after playing with it and the families goats and chickens.  They took the collar off ("then it is no one's dog and we can keep it"-reasoning of a child)  They hid her in thier room and fed her catfood until Mom found out.

Another GS would be good about the same size and durability.

My GSD (2 Year old Male) loves his Jack Russell chew toy - both outside dogs 24/7 (Efence on the GSD / JRT just followes him around)

Barry

heres my Shepard mix I picked up at the pound awhile ago.




he's gotten ALOT bigger.

We have a Shep mix and she loves any dog smaller than her, she treats them like her baby. Now any dog larger than her she tries to dominate, took a long time for her to get along with our male Lab even though he has 40 pounds on her.
She loves our 18 pound Boston terrier, gets on her back and wrestles with him.
I would strongly suggest getting a smaller male dog, two bitches will fight to establish who is the alpha.
When you first introduce them make sure it is on neutral turf so there are no territorial urges to complicate things.
Good luck!

Quoted: Quoted: Have 2 Sheppards, both house dogs. Both prefer to be indoors. And that generally makes sure they are the only ones inside when I'm gone. +1, Two GSD's and I want them inside just as much as they want to be inside.

Beautiful dogs.

I have a german shepard once.

He (or she) is cute! They always are when they are that young. And they do grow up fast! I have raised about 45 of them from our litters, and then my bitch got too old to have any more. I kept the last one she had. He was an only child. She has passed on, and so has my male. I bought another female, and now I have a pair again!

G/F has 6 dogs. German Shephard, Giant Schnauzer, 2 mini Schnauzers, British Bulldog and a long-hair Chihuahua. The Giant would make a great companion if the G/S was younger.

CW

I have two dogs but they are pretty much house dogs. I think it would be a bit traumatic for them to suddenly be outside most of the time. It's something I think has to be done at an early age, not when they are full grown. Besides, my back door would be in pieces. LOL.

Quoted: heres my Shepard mix I picked up at the pound awhile ago. home.earthlink.net/~usberet/data/DSC00026.JPG he's gotten ALOT bigger.

Part Lab?

any newer pics?

Quoted: heres my Shepard mix I picked up at the pound awhile ago. he's gotten ALOT bigger.

Yeah, they do that!
Ok..I have a 1/2 Sheperd, 1/2 Dachshound.

Yeah...I've been wondering about the conception too...She looks like a Doxie on stilts. She's got the Shep protectiveness though...if one of us is outside and the the rest of the family is inside, she'll whine at the door until we're all in the house.
Here's a shot of Bourbon--pun intended-- we named her Bourbon becuase she's a "blend" and she came from Kentucky) with my oldest son.

MG--I'd get your Shep a lab/retriever/mutt with either breed in it: want to be sure they are a good physical match *and* that the new dog coming in has the personality that will immediately acknowledge your Shep as the Alpha.

Quoted: Have 2 Sheppards, both house dogs. Both prefer to be indoors. And that generally makes sure they are the only ones inside when I'm gone.

Same here.  Cleaning up some shedded fur is a small price to pay for security!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Have 2 Sheppards, both house dogs. Both prefer to be indoors. And that generally makes sure they are the only ones inside when I'm gone. +1, Two GSD's and I want them inside just as much as they want to be inside. i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/motorfive/1.jpg Beautiful dogs.

I think as long as he's a good dog any active dog would be great for him. If you get something smaller though go with something tough like an austalian cattle dog or something so they can roughhouse.

my 1st german shepherd thor



and fenris, he gets along with all my other dogs

I want a german shepherd as my housedog. Hell, I'd want a GSD as my every-thing dog.

Ben

Hey, thanks for all the advise.  Our girl would be an outside dog mainly during the day as my wife & work a lot, plus she loves outside during the Alaskan summer.  She would still come inside (as would her friend) for the nights, weather its in the house or in the heated garage.  I'm thinking either another GSD a year or two older, or a smaller doggie.  She did get kicked out of dog training class because of her behavior once.  She's incrediably smart, but she does like to dominate all the other dogs she sees.  She likes to roll little dogs, but she is very gentle and I think once she saw that we like the other dog, she'd relax.